Future Buu Saga
by fantasyguy50
Summary: Two years after returning to his own time, Trunks is faced by a new peril - love. But will our hero be able to save his love from the evil wizard Babidi and his mega-elite army of DBZ foes? PLZ R/R! Chapter 2!!!
1. Babidi's Delay

Trunks slid off of the mattress onto the cold Capsule Corporation floor. Yawning, he made his way to the bathroom. He looked in the mirror, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, and opened the medicine cabinet behind it to remove his toothbrush and toothpaste. He looked at the Capsule Corporation logo on the brush as he flipped the switch to turn it on. As he pressed it against his teeth, the bristles foamed up as a paste was injected into his mouth. It seemed as if _everything_ nowadays was a product of his mother's business. Even the tag on his sleeveless black T-shirt read "CAPSULE" across it, right above the little "100% cotton" inscription. He slipped out of it and his lavender lounge pants and stepped into the shower, toothbrush hanging from his mouth.

A lot had happened in his twenty-year lifetime. His father Vegeta and all of Earth's other adult protectors were killed by evil androids when he was just a baby. For years, he grew up with only a few close friends. His mother Bulma and her friends Chichi, Gohan, and Roshi were all that remained of their once-immense brotherhood. Even Kami, the guardian of the Earth, the keeper of the DragonBalls, was now gone, since Piccolo had fallen in battle against the Androids.

Gohan, being a fighter, protected what was left of the Earth's population with small battles. He knew he couldn't _defeat_ the Androids, but every second he fought them, that was a second that millions of Earthlings had to live their lives.

Gohan had been like a mentor to Trunks. He taught him everything about battle and about being kind and remembering your loved ones always. Trunks grew strong, wise, and caring with Gohan as his teacher. Even after Chichi was killed by the Androids, Gohan remained strong and focused in his training endeavor.

Then came the day that Gohan fell in battle. Trunks lost his sparring partner, teacher, and one true friend when Gohan died. He vowed to find a way to defeat the Androids and somehow bring all the fallen to life once more. Bulma began working on a machine that would allow Trunks to travel back in time to set things right. Meanwhile, Trunks took over Gohan's role as the planet's hero. Being weaker than Gohan, he found it a little harder to deal with the Androids, but he didn't let himself be beaten.

When Bulma's time machine was completed, he traveled back to before the Androids were released. He warned the protectors about the Androids and returned home to see if he had changed his own timeline. He had not. But he had promised his father and the others that he would return, and so he did, but he found there an altered timeline. Instead of two androids there were _five_ and then there was a new bio-android named Cell to deal with.

Cell came from a time when Trunks returned from fighting the two alternate Androids and had killed the Androids in his time off as well. Cell killed Trunks in that timeline and went back in time with Trunks's time machine, altering Trunks's reality. Since trunks was forced to face five Androids and then Cell, he was much stronger upon his return home and was able to defeat the Cell of his timeline. In a way, Cell's returning to the past created a skewed reality in which really, he didn't.

Trunks wiped off his face, placing the toothbrush back into the medicine cabinet.

_That was two years ago…_ he thought. _I came back and defeated Androids Seventeen and Eighteen and Cell two whole years ago._ He parted his shoulder-length lavender hair down the middle and slowly brushed the tangles out.

Roshi returned to his peaceful island dwelling, but Trunks still lived with his mother. Together they provided relief efforts for those left homeless by the Android attacks. Not exactly a job for the world's strongest being, the sole survivor of the Saiyan race, but hey, it makes him happy!

He picked up his dirty laundry and wrapped a towel around his waist before he left the room. He yawned again. The floors were still cold, just like _every_ morning. He stuck the clothes in the hamper as he entered his room to change.

Down the hall, Bulma stretched. No matter how early she woke up, her son woke up first. _He_ got food for them, _he_ did all of the cooking, _he_ took care of dishes, the laundry, and the trash, and _he_ made sure that the house stayed clean. All Bulma had to do was keep her new factory pumping out the Capsule supplies for the needy. Now that they had the ability to replicate _all_ capsules, from food to clothes, to aircars and even homes, helping the needy was easy. Every day they flew to a new town to help restore its splendor.

Except today. Today was the first day in more than a year that they didn't have anyplace to go. Finally, all of the towns were up and going. Finally, they were harvesting their own foods. Finally, the economy was returning.

And Trunks was bored.

All day long, he paced around the house. He looked at his mother, sitting in front of the computer, sometime after lunch. "There's gotta be _someone_ left to help!" he said to her. "Someone _somewhere_ has to be hungry!"

Bulma smiled, the laugh lines on her face becoming more profound. "Knowing the Saiyans," she said, "that someone will be _you_ here in a second."

Trunks smiled. "I need to be doing something!" he said. "I feel the need to _help_!"

Bulma swiveled in her chair. "They've gotta start doing that for themselves, sweetheart," she said. "They can't depend on Miz Brains and her son Mister Brawn to come solve every problem for them until they die!"

Trunks looked at the floor. "Then I need something else to pass the time," he said.

"Find a woman," Bulma said. "That seemed to keep your father pretty happy between battles."

Trunks rolled his eyes. "C'mon, mom!" he yelled, turning around. "Eww!"

His stomach growled. "I'm hungry," he said.

"Do I know your body or what?" Bulma asked, smiling.

DRAGONBALL

Trunks had tried _everything_. Sports were too easy. Collectibles were too boring. Puzzles and logic just weren't his thing. He tried some new recipes but quickly learned that he knew all of the good ones. Finally, he decided to just _fly_.

Faster than a ray of light, he flew all over the globe. He saw sights that he had never seen before. Some of the prettiest places on Earth had been untouched by the Androids. He stopped and enjoyed nature in places he had never seen before, but soon, each of those places bored him as well.

"I _need_ to help people!" he said to himself, flying above a desert. "There has to be trouble somewhere!" He flew to the nearest town and all the happy people waved to him. No one in peril, no one hungry, not even a person that just needed a shoulder to cry on. Trunks sighed and flew on.

He landed on the Lookout.

"Hey, Mister Popo," he said, waving to the short, fat, black-skinned, turban-wearing resident of the tallest tier of Korin Tower. Popo was pacing around. "You look pretty bored too, huh?"

Popo nodded. "That I am, young Master Trunks," he said. "For awhile it was rather hectic up here as the Acting Guardian of Earth, but now that everything has settled down, I find it hard to enjoy my job much." He looked to Trunks. "I wish that Kami was here," he said. "Things were always easier when he was around."

"Yeah," Trunks said. "I miss my friends in the alternate reality. I've been putting thought to visiting them again, but I don't know when. I don't want to interrupt their lives, you know?"

Popo nodded. "It is hard to be without friends," he said. "It's too bad that I am only allowed one day a year to visit Kami."

"You can visit them?!?" Trunks asked, smiling, fists clenched in front of him.

Popo nodded.

"You mean, I can see Gohan again?!?" Trunks asked.

"You are allowed to do so once a year," Popo answered. "But you need a way to get to King Yamma's outpost before you can travel the Snakeway to King Kai's planet where everyone is."

"You can take me, right?" Trunks asked. "And what do you mean by 'everyone'?"

"Kami, Piccolo, Krillin, Goku, Vegeta, Yajirobi, Korin, Baba, Gohan, Chichi, Oolong, Puar, Doctor and Misses Brief, Yamcha, Tien, and Chaozu reside along the Snakeway or with King Kai himself," Popo replied.

"Can you take me now?" Trunks asked.

Popo's magic carpet appeared beside Trunks. Popo stepped onto it. "Stand on my magic carpet," he said to Trunks.

Trunks climbed up and the surroundings instantly changed. An immense man in a purple suit sat at a desk the size of a building.

"Ah," the man said. "Mister Popo, what can I do for you?"

"Trunks would like to spend a day with his friend Gohan," Popo explained.

"Well I suppose that's alright," Yamma said, "but you must not accompany him."

"Yes, I am aware," Popo responded.

"I'll have one of my men accompany you to the North Kai's home at the end of the Snakeway," Yamma said.

"No, that's alright," Trunks said, peering around the desk at a door that was obviously the door that led to his friend. "I can go much faster myself." He looked up into Yamma's eyes. "Can I go now?"

"I suppose so," Yamma replied. "Just don't fall off like Goku did. He got a little backtracked, you know?"

Trunks powered up and levitated. "I think I can handle it," he said. He saluted Yamma, thanked Popo, and in a flash he was through the doorway and miles down the Snakeway.

DRAGONBALL

"Who was _that_?!?" Yamcha asked his comrades as a figure flew by their home, built onto the side of the Snakeway.

"He was headed toward King Kai's place," Tien said. "I don't care who he is – if he starts trouble he's gonna be wishing he wasn't stupid enough to come here and challenge us." He hopped into the air. "Let's go!" he said. "We'll get him!"

Chaozu and Yamcha leapt into the air and followed Tien after the young terror.

They flew their hardest but couldn't catch up with their prey. They stopped at a larger dwelling down the Way. "Hey, Kami!" Yamcha shouted down. "Did you see who that guy was?"

Kami, Piccolo, Korin, Baba, and Yajirobi were all out on their porch.

"He was too fast for my old eyes to see," Kami said. "He has a great power. Stronger than any of our Saiyan warriors."

Piccolo leapt into the air. "He can't be strong enough to defeat us all," he growled. "Let's go!"

"I'm coming too!" Korin said. "Yajirobi will drive the rest of us down."

"I'm not going anywhere!" Yajirobi protested. "You can drive yourself!"

"_YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE OF US THAT KNOWS HOW TO DRIVE_!!!!!" Korin yelled at him. "So let's go."

The fighters disappeared into the distance. Yajirobi, grumbling, reached into his pocket and deposited the airvan capsule on the ground. As the quartet climbed in, he said, "I'm nobody's chauffeur," and drove off.

DRAGONBALL

Vegeta watched as the figure flew past his small home. "Just who could that have been?" he asked himself. "He was nearly as strong as _me_!" As Piccolo, Tien, Yamcha, and Chaozu flew past, he jumped up to join them.

"Hey, there, Vegeta!" Yamcha greeted him. "How are you doing today?"

"I'm itching for a good fight," he replied. "This guy is strong, but I'll bet I could take him down."

Piccolo smirked at Vegeta's overwhelming ego.

DRAGONBALL

Trunks landed at the end of the Snakeway, looking up at the grand house before him. Krillin was cowering on the porch. "Wh-wh-who are _you_???" he managed to ask.

Trunks smiled. "Hey Krillin," he said. "Don't be scared, it's just me!"

"Yeah but who are you?" Krillin asked again.

Trunks wrinkled his brow. _Oh, yeah_, he thought. _The Krillin of this timeline hasn't seen me since I was a baby, if he saw me at all._

Krillin stood up with one eyebrow raised. "Hey," he said, "where's your halo at? You're not supposed to be here, are you?" He wagged his finger in an very accusing way.

"I've got a day pass," Trunks explained. "I'm here to visit Gohan and meet my father."

Krillin scratched his bald head, putting thought to what Trunks had said. He stood up straight, all of a sudden, waving his hands in the air, eyes wide. "You're Vegeta's kid! Trunks!" He shook Trunks's hand. "It's an _honor_ to meet the guy who saved the Earth when no one else could."

Trunks blushed. "Well, I had some help," he said, "but that's a _long_ story."

The five fighters landed on the path behind Trunks. Krillin looked around Trunks to see them. "Hey, Vegeta," he said slyly. "Your son is paying us all a visit. Why don't you come over here and give him a hug?"

Vegeta blanched. "My… s-son???" he stammered.

Trunks stepped down the stairs onto the Snakeway. "Hey, dad," he said, waving once with his right hand.

Vegeta almost smiled. _It's been twenty years…_ he thought. _This is wonderful! I may not be stronger than Kakarot, but my SON is, and that's nearly as good._

Trunks hugged his father. Vegeta, at first, hugged Trunks back, but then pretended like he was above it. "Hugging is for children and lovers," he said. "Two grown men should _not_ be hugging!" He pushed past Trunks and entered the home of Goku, Gohan, Chichi, and Krillin.

"C'mon, guys!" Krillin said. "King Kai and his friends are here, and your grandparents too, Trunks! It'll be like a reunion!"

Yajirobi slammed on the braking thrusters and the van stopped, the front bumper inches from Yamcha's nose. Yamcha, wide-eyed, gulped.

"Sorry," Yajirobi called, leaning out the window. The van slowly landed. Everyone went inside.

DRAGONBALL

"Trunks!" Gohan shouted.

"Gohan!" Trunks returned. They embraced.

"It's been awhile, huh?" Gohan asked.

"Yeah, it certainly has," Trunks said smiling.

Gohan turned. "I'd like you to meet my family," he said. "This is my dad, Goku." He gestured toward Goku.

"I know everyone's name already," Trunks said. "I've met you all on a parallel Earth."

Everyone suddenly appeared confused. "What?" Goku asked.

"Jeez, didn't Popo _tell_ you when he visited?" Trunks asked them all.

"Tell us _what_?" Gohan asked.

Trunks began to explain his past to everyone, from the moment that Gohan died up to the point where he parted ways with Popo and Yamma.

"Interesting," King Kai said. "I just have _one_ question for you."

"What's that?" Trunks asked.

"Did you hear any good jokes from the other me while you were dead in that timeline?" Kai asked quietly. "I've been dying for some new material lately."

Trunks smiled. "Sorry King Kai," he answered, "but I didn't."

"Rats!" Kai snapped his finger.

"You sound like you have lead a very deserving life," Gohan said.

"You sound like you have grown _weak_," Vegeta mocked. "You've spent the past two years _rebuilding_ stuff?!? That is _no _way for a _Saiyan_ to live."

Trunks smiled. "I'm just as Human as I am Saiyan, Dad," he said with one finger raised. "Anyway, I've been training hard in the past couple of years, too," he said. "Sometimes exercise is the most _fun_ way to spend your time."

"That's the Saiyan in you talking," Goku said, half-laughing. "I'll bet you find it fun to take yourself one step closer to the edge with every punch."

Trunks smiled. "Ohh yeah…" he said. "An adrenaline rush is like the best feeling in the _world_!"

Vegeta smiled. "_That's_ my son talking!" he said. "For a moment, I thought that you had grown weak and frail since defeating Cell."

"No way!" Trunks said. "I train a little every day, in a special gravity room that mom made me."

"How many times stronger than Earth's own gravity do you train at?" Vegeta asked.

"Well," Trunks said, "the machine only _goes_ to a thousand…"

Everyone's jaws dropped. "A _thousand_ G's?!?" Goku said. "That's _incredible_!!! You must go through meals like a hippo!"

Trunks smiled. "That's no problem," he said. "There's _always_ food at Capsule Corporation headquarters."

"Mmm," Gohan said. "I miss Bulma's meals – fresh from freeze-dried food."

Trunks laughed. "Everything is stored at absolute zero now," he said. "Nothing spoils, and it's piping hot again as soon as you hit the button!"

Goku's eyes widened. "Why did I have to die?!?" he shouted. He started to tear up. "I want to try some capsule food." He sniffled. His stomach growled.

Trunks passed him a capsule. Goku swallowed the capsule _whole_.

"Wait!" Trunks protested. "That was a meal that could've easily fed all of us! Plus, you aren't supposed to eat it that way!"

Goku's belly puffed out in one swift motion. He burped yellow smoke. "Mmm…" he said.

Trunks's mouth hung open. "I've _never_ seen someone do that!" he said. "I don't think that I could even do that after starving myself for a week in a thousand times gravity training."

"That's Goku for you," Krillin said, with slit eyes. "He could eat all the edible stuff in the universe and still ask for dessert."

Trunks laughed. "Jeez!" he said. "I'm _impressed_!"

"Thank you," Goku said and hiccuped.

DRAGONBALL

By the end of the day, Trunks had become buddy-buddy with all of Vegeta and Gohan's friends. He even learned a couple of things, like the "Instant Transmission".

"Gosh," he said. "I wish there was a way to bring you guys all back to Earth. I know my mom and Master Roshi would enjoy your company again."

"A bunch of people lost their lives at the hands of the Androids," Gohan said. "That's a lot of people to bring back."

"I could bring them back for a day," Baba said. "But Yamma says that I'm not allowed to, now that I'm dead."

Kami nodded. "If my DragonBalls were still useful, you could use those," he said. "Then you could wish us back one at a time."  
"There's always Maury," Kai suggested. "His DragonBalls still work."

"But it has been twenty years since the killing began," Kami said. "Maury's DragonBalls cannot wish all of those people back."

"Oh yeah," Kai said. "I forgot that part."

Trunks had an idea. "In the other timeline, Piccolo and Kami fused and a young Namekian named Dende became the keeper of Shenlong," he said. "If we could somehow get to Dende, he could awake Shenlong again and make him more powerful."

"Dende?" Krillin, Piccolo, and Gohan said together.

Kami nodded. "That may work," he said, "but the chances are _very_ slim that he could resurrect Shenlong after twenty whole years."

Everyone frowned.

Trunks wouldn't give up. "If Dende has the power to resurrect Shenlong and grant him even more power," he started, "shouldn't he also have the power to create a new Dragon and new DragonBalls?"

Kami smiled. "Yes," he said. "He does have that power, I'm sure. However, that is not something that we Namekians just _do_. It takes years of concentration before you have that kind of power, and even then he has to have a vision of the Dragon before he can begin working."

"But Dende was _very_ young when he brought Shenlong back!" Trunks said. "Just a _child_!"

"Don't be absurd," Kami said. "A _child_ could not even perform_ those _tasks, let alone bring a new Dragon into existence!"

"I beg to differ," Piccolo interrupted. "Dende was very powerful. He and Nail were very close to Guru for a reason. Nail was the most combat-powerful of Guru's children, and Dende was a prodigy. Not even Guru himself possessed the Dragon-powers that Dende had, even as a child."

"Absurd!" Kami said. "How do you know all of this, anyway?"

"Because _I am Nail_," Piccolo replied in Nail's voice. "Piccolo and I live together in this body now."

Kami stood, nodding, remembering. "Are you sure about this Dende then?" he asked.

"I am positive," Nail replied. "He could create DragonBalls to revive us and every other kindhearted Earthling ever killed by an evil power in a single wish."

Kami looked at Kai.

"I'll talk to Maury," Kai said. He shut his eyes tight and focused. Piccolo placed his hand on Kai's shoulder. The two proposed their plan to Maury and Dende, unheard by any of the others in the room. After a few dozen minutes, Piccolo's hand left Kai's shoulder and Kai opened his eyes.

"They'll do it!" he said. "Dende is going to make the DragonBalls and travel to Earth when they are made so that Trunks can wish you all home!"

Everyone rejoiced.

Kami looked at Trunks. "Your twenty-four hours are drawing to an end," he said. "You better get home to your mother."

Trunks stood up. "I hope to see you all again soon," he said, placing his fingers on his forehead. "Goodbye."

Everyone said "Goodbye" and he disappeared.

"Such a nice boy," Chichi said.

"Yeah," Vegeta said. "What a shame."

DRAGONBALL

Trunks appeared on Yamma's table, right next to the immense pencil in Yamma's hand. "I'm going home now," he said and disappeared.

DRAGONBALL

Trunks appeared on the Lookout beside Popo. "Thanks again, Mister Popo," he said. "I had lots of fun!" He disappeared again.

DRAGONBALL  
  
"_WHERE ON EARTH WERE YOU_?!?" Bulma screamed. "_YOU DISAPPEAR FOR MORE THAN THIRTY HOURS AND EXPECT EVERYTHING TO BE JUST FINE AND DANDY WHEN YOU GET HOME?!?_"

"No," Trunks protested. "It wasn't like that. I was only gone for twenty-nine-and-a-half hours, and with good reason too… and I _wasn't_ on Earth…"

"Where'd you go?" Bulma asked quietly. "Save the Earth again?"

"No, but I might be able to bring Dad back to life," he said. "I visited Mister Popo and he took me to King Yamma and _he_ let me visit Dad, Gohan, and the others in the afterlife."

Bulma's eyes widened. "Really?" she said. "You got to see your father?"

Trunks smiled. "Yeah," he said. "He's tough as nails, but I think he's proud of me."

Bulma held Trunks's face at the jaw. "Who wouldn't be?" she asked. "You're the best son that anyone could have."

Trunks smiled wider. "Yeah, well…" he scratched the back of his head, "I had some help getting this way."

Bulma smiled and walked away. She snapped her fingers and turned back around. "Oh yeah," she said. "I had an idea of something to keep you busy. You could _always_ just get on the Internet. You can get a screen name on the Capsule Corporation Instant Messenger and start talking to ordinary people all over the world, without moving far from your training capsule!"

Trunks frowned. "I don't know, mom," he said. "Don't you think that kind of stuff is for social outcasts and ugly people?"

Bulma smiled. "You're talking to CapsuleBabe_24_7," she said.

Trunks fell over anime-style.

DRAGONBALL

"HalfSaiyan_Hero…" Trunks said, typing his new onscreen identity into the text box. He chose a password and hit enter. Then he entered in some information about himself and went on to the next screen.

"Browse friends?" he said. He clicked the button on the screen.

_Type area to find local buddies!_ the screen said. Trunks typed in his regional address code and hit enter. Another screen popped up. Options like "Age, Gender, Height, Nationality, and Build" were listed down the side of the screen, adjacent to text boxes.

"Can't be too picky about my friends," he said. "My age… twenty… no gender preference… no height preference… no nationality preference… no build preference… only show users with images… check that…"

The next screen popped up. Due to the Android attack, the Internet was a luxury that some were without for a long time. However, Internet-ready radio-based personal computers were a regular addition to all of the homes that Bulma and Trunks had provided to the crisis victims, and the chat rooms were flooded with users once more.

Trunks realized that he didn't have an image up yet, so he opened another window, smiled at the Webcam, took a picture, and uploaded it. Back on the friends page, he clicked on a the first user thumbnail and watched the next page load in an instant.

Trunks smiled. A twenty-year old, blonde beauty stared back at him. "I guess the Internet _isn't_ just for ugly people," he said. "Maybe I should say 'hi'."

Before he could click on the "Send message" icon, a message box appeared.

_You shouldn't pretend to be Trunks_, it said.

"I am Trunks," he said, typing as he spoke.

Another message box opened onto his screen. _You aren't really Trunks, are you?_ It read.

"Yes," he said, typing.

_Liar_, the first box came back. _Trunks spends all his time training_.

"Not really," he wrote. "In fact, yesterday, I took a fly around the world for fun."

The second box came back: _That's so cool! I'm talking to Trunks right now!!!_

A third box popped up, reading simply, _Hey there, sexy._

Trunks made a face.

The fist box came to the front, reading: _Anyone could know that, Trunks was all over the place yesterday, checking up on the needy._

"I know," he said. "Its kinda hard being me and not being able to help people."

The second box came to the front. _You still there?_

A fourth box popped up. _You suck! Nobody can be Trunks but Trunks!_

The third box popped up again. _Well, you gonna say anything?_

A _fifth_ box popped up. _Do I know you?_

A _sixth_ box popped up. _Nice pic! Have I seen you somewhere?_

The first box came forward again. _You really expect me to believe that you're Trunks?_

Trunks's eyes widened. In a split-second he typed responses to every box and waited for their responses. He finally had found a hobby that required quick reflexes and a sharp intellect.

DRAGONBALL

Trunks did push-ups on his right index finger and with his right leg crossed over his left, the gravity meter in the center of the room maxed out. "Nine hundred ninety-nine… one thousand," he folded his legs the other way and switched to his other index finger. "One… two… three…"

Outside the room, Bulma did a load of laundry. She looked at the door to the training room. "That boy is pushing himself to the edge," she said. "Seven hours of sleep, seven hours of training, and seven hours of the Internet is no way to spend most of the day." She turned on the drier and carried a basket out of the room. "Leaves _me_ to do most of the chores! Hmph!"

Trunks continued his exercises. "Nine hundred twenty-three… nine hundred twenty-four…"

DRAGONBALL

Trunks slid off of the mattress onto the cold Capsule Corporation floor. Yawning, he made his way to the bathroom. He looked in the mirror, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, and opened the medicine cabinet behind it to remove his toothbrush and toothpaste. He showered and got dressed, but not in any normal clothing. He slid into his gray, close-fitting, low-neck, ribbed sweatshirt and khaki slacks, then put on his socks and a pair of low-top, brown, suede boots.

At noon, Trunks was going on a date. When he finally got people online believing _who_ he was, he remembered the girl that he had intended to say 'hi' to. They immediately clicked. Whenever they had a question for each other, they found that either the other had just said the answer or was already typing it. They typed the same phrase at the same time – word for word – and even reacted to the odd situation in identical fashion. They knew that they had to meet. So they set a date for Saturday, May 28th at noon, right in the Center Plaza of New East City. Even though Trunks was the single most popular guy left on Earth, Leena (the girl) wasn't star-struck at all. She was completely open about her life.

Trunks pushed his long hair behind his ears, trying to make it look better. He smiled, checking the gaps in his teeth for buildup. He checked his breath. He made a face and reached for the mouthwash.

DRAGONBALL

"Do you have any condoms?" Bulma asked.

Trunks's jaw dropped. "_MOM_!!!" he shouted. "That's _none_ of your business, and this is only the first date!!!"

Bulma put her hands into the air, palms-out. "Fine," she said. "Just curious is all." She took a sip of coffee as Trunks put on his Capsule Brand watch. "I hope for your sake that this isn't a mistake," she continued. "You seem _so_ infatuated with someone you don't even know. I just hope she's all you're hoping she is."

Trunks smiled. "I know everything about her," he said, looking his mother in the eyes. "She's perfect. Trust me."

Bulma just smiled.

"I don't want to be late," Trunks said, standing. "I'll see you tonight." He put his fingers to his forehead and everything around him disappeared, changing into the Center Plaza. He put on his Capsulebrand sunglasses and looked around. It was a work day, and it was the right time of day for everyone to be out for lunch. He sat down at the bench by the fountain in the center of the Plaza and tried to look for a young woman amidst the business suits.

His watch read 11:59A. He wasn't late.

The world slowed down, nearly to a stop, as he saw her face. Her big, brown eyes were complimented perfectly with just the right amount of eyeliner and mascara. Her blonde hair was tied in the back and shot out in all directions, similar to peacock feathers. She bit her lip and scanned the Plaza for him. Her white spaghetti-string crop top was complimented with a pink, close-fitting, long-sleeve sheer blouse, cropped shorter than the white shirt. Between the shirts and her dark blue, baggy jeans was her pierced navel, a single steel barbell, shining above her slim waistline. She turned and Trunks could see kanji writing tattooed between her shoulders, under the see-through pink shirt. The symbols were Wisdom, Peace, and Power.

Trunks smiled. _That's Leena for certain!_ He decided to surprise her. He put his fingers to his forehead again and transmitted to her side, standing a foot behind her as she scanned the area where he had just been. He smiled, taking off his glasses. She stood nearly a foot shorter than him, even with the large heels of her Capsulebrand tennis shoes. She smelled like strawberries.

Trunks forced a cough, still smiling.

She turned, facing down with her eyes shut and mouth turned up into a smile. "How did I know that you were gonna do that?" she asked. She looked up into his eyes, showing a perfect row of teeth with an innocent smile. "It must be _soo_ cool to be that fast," she said.

"It's nice to be able to get places as fast as this without paying or polluting," he said. "On the other hand, people look at me funny when I just appear out of nowhere.

Still smiling, Leena took his hand. "I'd like to experience it," she said. "Can you take me with you?" She held his large hand with both of hers. "Please?"

_She is too good at being so darn cute_, Trunks thought. _Guess it wouldn't do much harm to show off a little…_

"Stand close," he said. She stepped forward a little, still holding his hand. He put his other hand to his forehead. Their surroundings changed once more. In front of them was an endless ocean, no land in sight.

"The beach?" Leena asked. "You shoulda told me before hand so I coulda worn my bikini." She winked.

Trunks blushed.

"Bikini?" came the voice of an old man. "Who said 'bikini'?!?"

Trunks slapped his own forehead. "I thought we would have been here and gone before Roshi knew we were here," he whispered to her. "This guy is gonna be _really_ into you." He turned, smiling and grabbing Leena's hand. "Hey, Master Roshi!" he said. "How are you doing?"

"Who's your… friend there, Trunks?" Roshi asked, smiling, blushing, and squinting merrily.

"This is Leena," Trunks said. "We're on a _date_ and I wanted to show her the view from your island."

Roshi frowned. "I see…" he said disappointedly.

"And actually, Master Roshi, I've got to be going," Trunks said. "I've made plans for lunch and I don't want us to be late, you know?" He put a hand behind his head as he explained. He smiled wide when he finished.

"Mm-hmm," Roshi said. "Well it's nice of you to stop by." A wild look spread across Roshi's face as he yelled. "_If your girlfriend has a sister, let me know, okay_?!?"

They disappeared.

"They better come back with a sister or cousin or something," he said. "What a looker _that_ one was! I sure taught that boy how to pick 'em!"

DRAGONBALL

"Mister Trunks, your table is ready!" the restaurant host informed them as they walked through the doors. Flashbulbs blinked everywhere.

Trunks frowned. "What's up with all the press?" he asked the host quietly.

"They came for you!" the host said. "And they _paid_ for their seats, so…"

Trunks turned to Leena as some of the media got out of their seats. "You wanna go someplace else?" he asked.

She just nodded.

They disappeared.

DRAGONBALL

"Corndogs," Leena said, peeling some breading off of her meal and placing it into her mouth. "Yum…"

Trunks pulled a stick out of his mouth and held it with the twelve others in his hand. "You don't like corndogs?" he asked.

Leena smiled. "I like 'em," she said. "I just thought that the Earth's one true savior ate a little more extravagantly than _corndogs_."

Trunks stared into space with a blank look on his face. "Well I like food," he said. "If you want, I could cook you something like I'd eat at home."

Leena dropped her corndog into a wastebasket and grabbed Trunks's hand. "Let's go, then," she said, wrinkling her nose with a smile.

Trunks smiled. He felt so at ease in her presence. She was always smiling, even just two years after everything died down with the Androids and all. _Happiness is one of the most respectable things in the world_…

They disappeared again.

DRAGONBALL

"I'm getting so used to that!" Leena said as they materialized in Trunks's living room. "The first time I got kinda nauseous but now it's so natural."

Trunks smiled.

Bulma entered the room and introductions were made. Trunks fixed lunch for everyone and decided to spend the day with Leena. They went to East City Park (completely regrown) to feed the ducks, then went clothes shopping, to the movies, to dinner, and walked along the beach, watching the sunset. They sat down as it started to get dark. Trunks put his arm around Leena's waist. She leaned her head into his shoulder.

"It's really weird," she said. "First, I feel like I've known you a really long time and not just these past couple of weeks." She looked up into his eyes. "It's like I'm ready to spend the rest of my life right here with you." She looked back at the sunset. "Second," she said, "it's your popularity. I really don't feel so intimidated now that I know how normal and gentle you are."

Trunks kissed her forehead as she looked back toward the sunset. "I never thought I could fall in love," he said. "You see, I'm so different than other guys. I never thought that anyone could see through my power and fall in love with me for who I really am."

Leena looked back up at him, smiling wide. "You were wrong," she said.

Trunks just smiled again. They kissed as the sun made its disappearance past the horizon final.

"I've just got all these feelings I thought a warrior like me could never have," Trunks said, placing his forehead on hers.

"You can't change the way you feel," Leena responded.

They kissed once more.

DRAGONBALL

musical interlude

Got nothing to lose this time, and I'm bored with the same old lines. I never know what to do or what to say to you. One look and you'll knock me out; you put me on the floor with a ten count. I don't wanna make a scene - I gotta make you see that I've been waiting for a girl like you, and I know there's nothing I could do. Don't wanna make you hurt, don't wanna make you feel like the world ain't on your side, like you're never gonna get it right. No, I can't fight. I can't sleep at night, just thinking about you, girl; I'm a fool for you. Yes I am.

You've been on my mind since I saw you walking by. I knew I had to know you better; you were everything. But I didn't know what to say so you just walked away. I couldn't believe what a fool I was to let you go, 'cause I've been waiting for a girl like you and I know there's nothing I could do. Don't wanna make you hurt, don't wanna make you feel like the world ain't on your side, like you're never gonna get it right. No, I can't fight. I can't sleep at night, just thinking about you, girl; I'm a fool for you. Yes I am. Yeah.

Then I saw you at the beach talking with my friends. I couldn't believe my eyes; it was my lucky day. So I just asked you out to the Forum to see No Doubt. When you said you would go I thought I might explode, 'cause I've been waiting for a girl like you and I know there's nothing I could do. Don't wanna make you hurt, don't wanna make you feel like the world ain't on your side, like you're never gonna get it right. No, I can't fight. I can't sleep at night, just thinking about you, girl; I'm a fool for you. Yes I am. Don't wanna make you hurt, don't wanna make you feel like the world ain't on your side, like you're never gonna get it right. No, I can't fight. I can't sleep at night, just thinking about you, girl; I'm a fool for you. Yes I am. Yes I am. I am… a fool for you. Yes I am. I am.

"I'm a Fool" by American Hi-Fi, written/sung by Stacey Jordan

DRAGONBALL

It was two weeks later. Trunks had spent some time every day with Leena. Today, they were supposed to be going to a concert, one of Leena's favorite bands was playing at the Capsule Arena in East City, and Trunks surprised her with a pair of tickets.

Trunks wiped the sweat off of his forehead as he passed through the laundry room on his way to the shower. He dropped the towel and his drenched white T-shirt into the washer and continued on. Bulma stopped him in the hall.

"So," she said, "when are you and Leena going to get married, huh?" she asked.

Trunks smiled. "I'm sure you'll be the third person to know, Mom," he said.

Trunks got ready quickly. He was supposed to pick Leena up at 5:00P at her place in the city. He tied his shoe as Bulma entered the living room. He stood, and she pulled his face down to kiss his cheek. "Good luck," she said as he wiped the kiss away.

"I don't think I need luck," he said. "What I need is my own place…"

"What was that?" Bulma asked, turning. Trunks was gone, and had been smiling as he left.

DRAGONBALL

Trunks held a single red rose behind his back and rang the doorbell to Leena's Capsulebrand apartment. There wasn't an answer. He knocked.

Like a flash, the face of an evil entity passed through Trunks's mind. He turned, dropping the rose. In front of him stood a rather ugly purple-and-white alien with a long head, yellow lips, and a fancily drawn letter M on his forehead. He held one hand to the mouth of the struggling Leena as she fought to escape.

"Hello," the alien said. "If you want your _girlfriend_ to live, you should follow me!" The alien flew away.

Trunks was hot on his trail. He was ten times as fast as the alien, and got the idea to pummel him. He looked down. They were a mile or two above rocky ground.

_Don't want anything to happen to Leena…_ he gritted his teeth in anger as he followed the weaker being to their destination. After a minute or two of flight, the alien descended and entered a small shed-looking building in the middle of a field of upturned Earth. Trunks landed and ran toward the door.

A single figure stood in his way. "Wait!" another alien yelled at him. This shorter alien was much different than the first, with lavender skin, large pointy ears, and a white mohawk. "You must not enter this ship!"

Trunks pushed his way past the alien and entered the small building, which led down into what he now knew was a spaceship.

"Stop!" came the pleading cry from above.

Trunks landed on the spaceship's floor and looked around. No sign of Leena, the alien, or anyone else…

The second alien landed beside Trunks. "We must leave immediately!" he yelled. "You don't know what you're doing!"

Trunks now looked to his only companion in the room. "What's going on?" he asked.

"I will explain as soon as you _leave_!" the alien shouted. "We must go! Now!"

The narrow tube through which they had entered closed off at the near end.

"See!" the alien said. "Now the only way out of here is to destroy the evil wizard Babidi himself!!!"

Trunks frowned. "What's going on?" he asked.

The alien slouched, sighing. "I am one of five Supreme Kais, the protectors of the four quadrants," he explained. "A thousand years ago, an evil wizard named Bibidi created a powerful being named Majin Buu. Buu absorbed my four companions. I was only able to seal Majin Buu back in his egg after destroying Bibidi. I buried Majin Buu deep within _this_ planet, hoping that he would never be resurrected again. Nearly thirteen years ago, Bibidi's son Babidi came to this planet in search of Majin Buu, but there was already a great battle waging on your soil. Babidi saw the great powers of two of the fighters here, and fearing his own demise, he ran away, hoping that when he returned one or both of the powers would be gone or defeated. I followed him from planet to planet as he recruited evil soldiers. You see, Babidi has the power of controlling the evil urges in one's heart and using those urges to cause others to do evil for his own purposes. One of his minions killed my friend Kibito, so I fled, watching them from a distance. Babidi returned to your planet yesterday, happy to find that not only were the two powerful beings gone, but so was the strong fighter who opposed them. In fact, Babidi found that there was no one left that was anywhere _near_ as powerful as those three fighters. This was bad for him in a way. You see, Babidi must absorb energy from the people of this planet in order to resurrect Majin Buu at his full power. That's why he brought you here, you see… he wishes to control the evil in your heart so that you, an Earthling, can gather the powers of your people. He saw that you had the power of flight already and decided that _you_ were a prime target for power-gathering."

Trunks tried to take it all in. _He was afraid of Gohan and the Androids_, he thought.

"Gohan and the Androids?" the Supreme Kai asked. "Who are they?"

Trunks's eyes widened. "You can read my thoughts?" he asked.

"Yes," the Supreme Kai answered.

Trunks was dizzy in thought. Even he couldn't take in everything in his mind. It was very doubtful that the Supreme Kai could understand him either. He looked into the Supreme Kai's eyes, smiling. "Can Babidi hear me?" he asked.

Shin frowned. "I cannot hear your thoughts!" he said. "You must be thinking _very_ quickly to hide your thoughts from me!"

"Can Babidi hear me?" Trunks repeated.

The Supreme Kai nodded.

_Good…_

"Babidi!" Trunks shouted. "Is this the power you ran away from years ago?"

Trunks began to power up.

_Supreme Kai_, he thought, _don't say anything, but I'm making it look as though I am actually weaker than Gohan and the Androids. Maybe Babidi will get cocky and try to absorb my power. That way, I can fight him, face-to-face, and win!_

The Supreme Kai stepped back as the energy from Trunks's body began creating an air current in all directions. Trunks's hair began floating some. His muscles bulged out a little. He stopped powering up and landed back on the ground.

"Come out and play, Babidi!" Trunks shouted.

A door opened. The alien from outside stepped into the room, laughing. "I'm Pui Pui," it said. "If you can defeat me, you get to go down to the next level and fight the fighter there."

"Don't do it!" the Supreme Kai said. "All of the battle energy that Pui Pui damages you for will be absorbed by this ship and fed directly to Majin Buu!"

Trunks smiled and raised a hand, pointed at Pui Pui. A blast of intense yellow energy blasted from his palm, straight through Pui Pui's head. In a moment, the "dangerous" alien was gone, a decapitated body lying on the ground.

An evil cackling was heard in the room. "Ahahahahahah!!! Brilliant!" came a voice. "You will be more useful than expected! Pui Pui, however, wasn't there to _fight_ you! He was supposed to be convincing you to join us!"

The Supreme Kai was obviously enraged. "Babidi…" he said.

"If you wish to 'proceed to the next level', you will have to fight my Yakon!" Babidi continued. "Yakon, come out and play!"

"Not Yakon!" the Supreme Kai shouted. "Yakon can _absorb_ your energy attacks!"

Trunks turned to face the Kai. "_Absorb_ them?!?" he asked. "That's not possible! Not unless he's one of Doctor Gero's creations!"

"Oh, he can," the Supreme Kai said, "and he will."

Trunks gulped, looking back at the door. Two long glowing red eyes stared back at him. _I'll just use a small space and a large opponent to my advantage!_ He shot himself into the small room that Yakon was emerging from and pummeled the creature in the small space. The large, green monster didn't have any time to react. Trunks shot through him like a bullet through cloth, killing him instantly.

He wiped himself off as he left the small room. Yakon's coarse black blood had collected on Trunks's clothing in certain areas, but for the most part, Trunks was so fast that he didn't get very dirty at all.

The Supreme Kai was in shock.

The floor opened up.

Trunks went down.

_Who IS this man?_ the Supreme Kai thought. _He can't be HUMAN!_

DRAGONBALL

_As the Supreme Kai lowers himself to the next level of Babidi's fortress, it would seem that Trunks is much more powerful than you might assume. He appears to be fighting Babidi's henchmen with a greater amount of ease than his alternate reality counterparts. Does this mean that he will be able to defeat Babidi before Majin Buu is hatched, or does the evil wizard Babidi have some tricks up his sleeve. Remember that the Supreme Kai told Trunks that Babidi had been recruiting on other planets. Who have we yet to see? Find out on the next exciting installment of DragonBall!!!_


	2. Buu's Perfection

_Previously on DragonBall: Our hero Trunks was just plain bored, so he visited the afterlife and introduced himself to all of the Z characters there. While there, he, Piccolo, Kami, and King Kai devised a plan for the resurrection of all the people unjustly slain by the Androids. They contacted the Planet Namek and asked Dende to come to Earth with a new set of DragonBalls. Trunks returned home to EVEN MORE BOREDOM, but Bulma introduced him to the Internet, where he found the woman that just might be his one true love. However, Leena was kidnapped by the evil Pui Pui, who lured Trunks and a man known as "the Supreme Kai" into the underground spaceship of an evil wizard named Babidi. The Supreme Kai explained the situation to Trunks just before Trunks dealt deadly blows to the first pair of Babidi's henchmen. Now Trunks waits on the second level of Babidi's ship for the next warrior to battle, hoping to somehow get to Leena._

DRAGONBALL

musical interlude

I am lost in the see-through. I think you lost yourself too. Throughout all of this confusion, I hope I somehow get to you. I practiced all the things I'd say to tell you how I feel, and when I finally get my chance, It all seems so surreal, 'cause from the first time that I say you, I only thought about you. I didn't know you. I wanted to hold onto the things you'd never say to me, 'cause you said: "You can't change the way you feel". I could never do that. I could never do that. And "You can't tell me this ain't real, 'cause this is real." And you would see right through that. In the end, it's all I've got, so I will hold on to that. So, I'm gonna hold on and on and on and on.

Now you've got me watching your eyes – got me waiting just to see. If it goes the way it never will, your eyes are watching me. And now you've got me thinking 'bout the first time that I met you, standing in a crowded room, but I could only see you. And I hope my words will get through, 'cause now I can't forget you. I want to tell you. If only I could reach you and make you feel this way… but you said: "You can't change the way you feel". I could never do that. I could never do that. And "You can't tell me this ain't real, 'cause this is real." And you would see right through that. In the end, it's all I've got, so I will hold on to that. So, I'm gonna hold on and on and on and on and on and on and on, on and on and on and on, on and on and on, and on.

"Change" by Good Charlotte, written/sung by Joel and Benji, The Twins That Play

DRAGONBALL

Trunks paced the second level of Babidi's ship, thinking of Leena. _I hope she's not hurt_, he thought. _I'm gonna try as hard as I can to get to her._ He looked at the Supreme Kai. "Tell me again why I can't just blast my way down," he said in inquiry.

"It could be the jolt of energy that Majin Buu needs to awaken," the Supreme Kai explained. "You don't want him to be awake because of you, do you?"

"No," Trunks said. "If he's as strong as you say, I might want to try and avoid waking him." He looked back at the Kai. "Explain the other part again. Every time that either a bad guy damages me or I damage one of them, the ship absorbs it?"

"Yes," the Supreme Kai responded. "And feeds it straight to Buu."

"Then why don't we risk peeling open this hatch?" Trunks asked. "If we can go defeat Babidi _now_, his minions will be set free, Buu won't get any of their energy because _I_ won't have beat it out of them, we'll get to Leena faster, and even open up that first hatch to leave. Even if we run into trouble, we'll be the ones with the control. If we wait here, Babidi's soldiers have time to power up, which not only would make them harder to beat, it would give Buu more of their energy. If we charge ahead, they will be weaker and less prepared, giving us an advantage in battle and also cutting down on Buu's power supply." He stared at the Supreme Kai, pleading with his eyes. "Plus," he continued. "I never intended to shoot an energy beam through the floor. It might hit Leena! All I'm saying is I try to delicately slice through this hatch and all those hatches we find below us."

The Supreme Kai raised an eyebrow. "You are a lot smarter than most other powerful beings," he said.

Trunks smiled. "That's because of my mom," he explained. "She and her dad are the two most intelligent humans out there! I'm nowhere near as smart as they are, but at least I'm smarter than most people!" He looked at the floor. "Does that mean you're gonna let me try to slice through the floor?" he asked.

"You can try," the Supreme Kai answered. "I doubt you will have much success."

Trunks extended one palm toward the black circle in the center of the floor. A small, yellow energy beam shone from his hand, slowly extending toward the ground. "If I had my sword," he said, "I wouldn't hafta do it this way."

With the energy beam he sliced into the hatch, creating a shape large enough to pass through. He jumped down on the loosened hatch and it fell. "C'mon," he said. "On to level three!"

The Supreme Kai, wide eyed, followed the intelligent and powerful young warrior down to the next level. Trunks sliced the hatch there as well and kicked down the cutout piece. He entered the next level quickly and began preparing to cut through to the next level.

"Wait!" the Supreme Kai said. "This is the final floor that you are about to enter. It might be wise to either power up now or lure them away from your loved one."

Trunks stopped. He looked over at the Kai. "You're pretty smart, you know that?" he asked.

The Supreme Kai blushed. "Well," he said. "You don't become protector of the East quadrant by sitting around all day, you know."

Trunks smirked. "Then we wait here for now," he said. "I won't power up just yet. I'll wait and see who Babidi sends out next before revealing my complete power." He sat down near the hatch and waited.

_I cannot believe the confidence, wisdom, and power of this young man_, the Supreme Kai thought. _He is unlike anyone else that I have ever met, unlike anyone that has probably ever existed! Look at him there, strumming his fingers on the ground. He's thinking of his girlfriend, too! Most experienced fighters would be more focused on the battle that awaits them, but this young man has only thoughts of saving his loved ones! Unbelievable!_

Trunks closed his eyes and began focusing on the energy inside of him, preparing for a quick power-up if necessary.

DRAGONBALL

Hours later, Trunks had become impatient. He paced in a circle around the panel in the floor. "What's taking them so long?" he asked. "You don't think the next fighter is powering up, do you?"

"That is entirely possible," the Supreme Kai said.

Trunks became enraged. "Why did I even listen to you?!?" he shouted. "Leena could be dead now and I will probably be facing a strong fighter that could easily allow that Buu creature to gain power, and it's all thanks to you!"

The Supreme Kai wasn't phased. "On the other hand," he said. "Your Leena may still yet live, and we will have the chance to shorten their ranks by one before descending to the final arena."

Trunks bit on his bottom lip. "I guess…" he said. "I just hope this is all over soon. Don't you?" There wasn't a response. "Supreme Kai? Don't you?" He looked to where the Supreme Kai had stood, and stood still, turned to stone.

_Stone???_

Trunks was hit from behind and fell forward forcefully, finding his face deep within a dent in the wall. He turned around and faced his new opponent, who had lowered in from the previous floors, an unexpected tactic by all means. The new bad guy was tall and pink, with horns and a trimmed moustache, and also a very evil pair of cat-like eyes. He was wiping his mouth. Flinging the saliva to the ground, he smiled. Trunks watched the saliva in its descent. It struck his watch, which he had removed, turning it to stone.

_His spit…_

Trunks stood up. "So you're the third, huh?" he said. "My name is Trunks." He levitated into the air, powering up, feeling the SuperSaiyan energy well up within his very being. His hair began to float and turned gold with a shout. His irises turned green. He yelled again as his muscles expanded some. With a third shout, his golden hair paled and extended some, his muscles grew again very slightly, and small currents of electricity began shooting out from his body, surrounding him. He shouted once more as the energy around his body pulsed out, creating very forceful winds that pushed his opponent back. He had finally realized the full power of the second full SuperSaiyan form, as only the alternate child Gohan had done before in Trunks's recollection. He landed back on the ground, yellow light energy pulsing from his body.

His opponent was rather frightened. You see, this was Dabura, the overlord and strongest fighter in an alternate reality known as the Demon World. Dabura was stronger than anyone Trunks had ever faced before, but in order to realize his full power he had to endure hours of meditation and extreme focusing. He had just completed this task, making the battle that much harder for Trunks.

Trunks stepped toward Dabura. Dabura pounced on Trunks, sending him sprawling with a right hook to the jaw. Trunks planted his hands on the ground and flipped, not letting himself incur further damage by hitting a wall. He smiled at Dabura. "That's one for you," he said, raising one finger. He pounced on Dabura, kneeing the Demon King in the gut. Dabura heaved, sending spit flying everywhere. Some splattered on Trunks's shirt, which Trunks instinctively ripped off. The shirt was stone before it hit the ground. When it did so, it shattered. Trunks saw it do so and looked at the Supreme Kai. Without more than a second thought, he leapt through the hole in the ceiling into the third floor.

Dabura followed him there and grabbed his ankle. Trunks struck out with his other foot, landing a kick hard in Dabura's eye. Dabura grabbed his face, allowing Trunks to fly free, turn, and head-butt Dabura in the back. Dabura cried out in pain and fell forward. Trunks extended his hand and pointed an energy beam _across_ the room, parallel to the floor, at Dabura. Dabura was pushed away, struggling, arms crossed in defense. He tried his hardest to break free of Trunks's blast but simply could not. He found his back to the wall.

Trunks put his free left hand against his right wrist and used both hands to increase the flow of energy. Dabura screamed as his flesh was ripped and burnt from his bones. When Trunks finished, all that remained of Dabura was a blackened hole in the wall, dirt from the outside world piling in.

Trunks powered down slightly as his radiant energy disappeared and the electricity became no more. His hair, still long and pale, remained extended in the air. He lowered himself to the fourth level again, where the Supreme Kai waited, dazed. Trunks's shirt had also returned to normal and lay on the floor in two halves.

"Then Dabura has been killed as well?" the Supreme Kai asked. "He had me turned to stone before I had time to react to the sight of him!"

"Yes, he's dead," Trunks said.

The Supreme Kai looked at Trunks's hair, eyes, and body size. "What happened to _you_?" he asked. "If it wasn't for your height and clothing, I would've mistaken you for that _Brolly_ creature that killed my friend Kibito!"

Babidi's trademark cackling was heard. "This is excellent!" he said. "Majin Buu has nearly _two thirds_ of his power thanks to Pui Pui, Yakon, Dabura, and yourself, young warrior." Trunks made an angry face, obviously mad that Dabura had had time to power up. "It's odd that you mentioned _Brolly_, Supreme Kai!" Babidi continued. "He will be your opponent for the _fourth_ floor."

Trunks let his eyes widen. "But Dabura was the challenger for the fourth floor!" he protested. "And who is this _Brolly_, anyway?" he asked.

Babidi cackled once more. "You didn't remain on the fourth level for the entire battle against Dabura," he said. "I'm terribly sorry, but it just doesn't count!"

Trunks gritted his teeth. "Bring on your next fighter then!" he shouted. "Show me this Brolly!" He looked to the Supreme Kai. "You might want to get out of my way this time," he suggested calmly. "I only left before to prevent you from shattering in your statue state." He pointed to the hole in the ceiling. "Go on," he said. "I've got this guy."

The Supreme Kai did not protest. He levitated through the hole and disappeared from sight. "Good luck," he said. "You need it!"

The door opened in front of Trunks. Inside was a yellow light and electric currents. Trunks gasped. It was like looking into a funhouse mirror – Brolly was a SuperSaiyan as well, completely powered into the second form, but was obviously bigger. His muscles were larger, his stature taller, his hair longer… and the obvious "M" was on his forehead.

"Who are you?" Trunks asked.

Brolly just smiled and attacked. His fist landed hard on Trunks's arms, which were crossed over his chest in defense. Trunks powered up once more and pushed Brolly's fist away with a shout. Now both of them were complete with radiant energy and electricity. Trunks shouted once more, his muscles beefing up ever-so-slightly _again_. The floor dented as his energy pushed out on it. He charged Brolly and landed a fist on Brolly's chin. Brolly staggered back slightly, then landed a single blow into Trunks's gut. Trunks cried out, his eyes clenched, sweat flying from his forehead. He was forced into powering down some because of the pain. He fell to the ground and was struck from above by the larger Saiyan. As Brolly's fists came down like a hammer into Trunks's upper back once and then twice, it was fairly apparent that the Majin Saiyan warrior had the upper hand in battle, despite the years of training Trunks had endured.

Brolly kicked Trunks hard in the chin and Trunks flew away like a football through the uprights. He staggered to his feet, using the wall as a support. Brolly charged again but stopped in midair, restrained by some unseen force. Trunks looked at the his Saiyan opponent in bewilderment.

"Trunks," came the Supreme Kai's voice, "attack now! Don't worry about me! Take him down!"

Brolly struggled, trying to reach the much smaller fighter on his back. No matter how hard he tried, he could not reach the Supreme Kai.

It was just the opening that Trunks needed. He charged once more to his full power. "I won't kill you, Supreme Kai," he said. "I'll just beat this guy down!" He pounced on Brolly, sending blow after blow into the larger Saiyan's face, chest, and abdomen. Brolly cried out in pain several times as he tried to swing back, his arm movement impeded by the Kai. Trunks grabbed Brolly by the hair and brought the lumbering giant's head down into his knee, breaking Brolly's nose and splattering blood everywhere.

Brolly yelled a yell that no Saiyan had ever yelled. He powered up once again, his hair growing and paling some, his muscles expanding once more. He grabbed the Supreme Kai by the hair and hurled him into Trunks. The pair of heroes flew across the room as Brolly pounced once more, breaking the Supreme Kai's back with a _very_ powerful punch. The Supreme Kai fell to the floor, barely alive.

Brolly stopped and powered down as Trunks looked toward his companion.

"Supreme Kai, are you alright?" he asked. "Can you move?"

The Supreme Kai only whispered. "_Kill Babidi_," he breathed. His body went limp as he died there in Trunks's arms. Trunks stared at the lifeless form of the last remaining Supreme Kai, broken in two, tears coming to his eyes. He looked up toward Brolly, but no one was there. Brolly had gone. The floor was open.

Trunks laid the Supreme Kai on the ground and proceeded down the tunnel into the darkness below.

He landed on the ground on the final level. Before him was the egg of Majin Buu, pulsing with a great energy.

_Oh, no! I'm too late!_

He looked around the room, which appeared very empty, except for the egg.

_Where is everybody?!?_

Instantly, his surroundings changed. He found himself standing next to the egg still, but they were _outside_ the ship now. "What's going on?" he said aloud.

He heard Babidi's cackle once more. A tiny figure stepped out from behind the egg.

Trunks felt like laughing. "You're Babidi?" he asked the wrinkly, yellow, Chihuahua-looking wizard. "You're kind of small for an all-powerful wizard!"

Babidi bared his teeth in anger. "Quiet!" he shouted. He waved his hands and shouted a word that Trunks did not understand. Trunks found himself floating in the air now, arms and legs bound my magical ropes. He struggled, but his fighting just caused pain, so he gave up.

Babidi had his hands behind his back. "You had no trouble defeating poor stupid Pui Pui and my precious Yakon," he said. "Even _Dabura_ was no match for you! However, it would seem that you are _not_ the strongest fighter!"

The egg was pulsing rapidly now. The loose soil around its base was shaking and blowing slowly away.

"Don't get me wrong," Babidi continued. "You are fairly strong, probably stronger than Majin Buu! However, I have learned something in the past twelve years, and that is that incredible powers like this exist in many species, so it is no surprise that a _Human_ such as yourself is stronger than Dabura. You see, I also have fighters that are stronger than Majin Buu. Brolly you have met…"

Brolly stepped out from behind the egg, completely healed in appearance.

"Brolly belongs to a proud race known as the Saiyans. He is by _far_ their strongest warrior in history!" He looked at Trunks. "You would know about that, now, wouldn't you? Brolly tells me that there were several other fighters that survived the destruction of their people. Might your _father_ be one of those warriors? You and Brolly now bear an incredibly striking resemblance!"

Trunks did not give a response. He gritted his teeth.

Babidi smiled. "Yes," he said. "We will see about that, won't we?!?" He turned back to Brolly. "Brolly isn't even the _strongest_ of my warriors!" he shouted, looking back toward Trunks. "He is rather close, but not nearly as strong as Cooler!"

"Cooler?" Trunks asked.

A large purple-and-white creature stepped out from behind the egg.

"Cooler is the strongest warrior in his race's history as well," Babidi explained. "He is the only Changeling ever to reach a fifth form in transformation, as you see here now!"

"Changeling?" Trunks shouted. "Like Frieza?!?"

Cooler smiled. "Frieza is my brother," he said. "He liked to call himself the most powerful, but in truth he was the third. My father and I both surpass my brother in means of power, though father didn't like to show off as much as his sons do."

Trunks looked at the fifth changeling form, much like what he had been told the third form was like, only sleeker and less wretched.

"What are your plans, Babidi?" Trunks asked. "Why bother waking Majin Buu if you already have two warriors that are stronger than him?"

Babidi smiled. "You speak too soon," he said. "I have _four_ fighters that are stronger than Majin Buu. Lord Slug is also the most powerful being in the history of his people. Bojack is another alien that I stumbled upon, but he won't tell me very much about himself."

An immense Namekian stepped out from behind the egg, followed by a human-looking creature with blue skin and bright orange hair.

"But all Namekians are good and peaceful!" Trunks shouted. "How did you take control of his heart?"

Babidi cackled. "There, you are wrong, my boy. Slug didn't even know what a Namekian _was_ until I found him and showed him! He grew up seeing many evil things, things which turned his heart black with hatred, fear, and anger!"

Trunks clenched and unclenched his fists. "What is the _point_ of all this?" he asked. "Why wake Majin Buu when you already have more than enough power to conquer the universe?"

The egg levitated and began to spin slightly.

Babidi, smiling, stepped toward Trunks. "Let me ask you this," he said. "Why bother with five _superior_ fighters when you can have _one INVINCIBLE_ one?!?"

Trunks frowned. _What does he mean???_ Then it struck him. "You are going to have Majin Buu absorb these four just as he absorbed the Supreme Kai's comrades!"

Babidi showed his teeth with a wicked smile. "Now you're getting it," he said. "Not just these four, but you as well!"

Trunks gasped. "I won't let you!" he yelled, his voice lost in the whir of the egg. He struggled as the egg struck the ground and split open. He couldn't break the wizards spell, so instead he focused on the egg. A great puff of pink smoke billowed from the egg and floated into the sky. The egg was…

"_Empty_?!?" Babidi screamed. "Impossible!" He looked at Trunks who was focused on the cloud high in the air. He looked up at the cloud himself, to see it take form.

Trunks bared his teeth, looking away from the cloud. He then saw a sight that truly inspired him. Leena lay on the ground beside the base that had held the egg. She appeared to be unconscious but still uninjured. He struggled harder than ever, powering up to what he knew was his limit, trying to break free. With a scream he sent shockwaves in all directions, but was _still_ unable to break free.

The cloud began to form hands and legs as Majin Buu came to life. It formed into skin and clothing for the plump creature.

Majin Buu set foot on the ground and giggled. Yes, the immensely powerful creature audibly giggled. He looked at Slug and yelled "BOO!"

Babidi was ecstatic. "Majin Buu," he called. "I am Babidi, the son of Bibidi, your creator, and I am now your new master!"

Majin Buu looked at him. "Boo?" he said inquisitively.

Babidi pointed to his three warriors. "These are your first four targets," he said. "These three are the strongest, yummiest fighters in the universe, and they have offered to be your appetizer to help you realize your full power!"

Majin Buu looked at Brolly, Cooler, Bojack, and Slug. He pointed at them, looking back to Babidi. "Boo?" he asked.

Babidi smiled. "Yes," he said evilly. "Eat them now and gain much power from the yummy tasties they will become!"

Majin Buu got an evil look in his eyes. He jumped in front of Slug and yelled "_BOOO_!!!" With a quick flash of purple energy, Slug turned into a head of lettuce. Majin Buu turned to Brolly and yelled again. With a similar flash of energy, Brolly turned into a sprig of broccoli. Majin Buu turned to Cooler and yelled a third time, turning the Changeling into a barbecued pork rib. Soon Bojack was turned into a licorice stick.

Majin Buu gathered the food items and sat down. He jammed them all into his mouth at once and swallowed them whole. He rubbed his belly. "Yummy!" he said. His body contorted some and took a new, more muscular and evil shape. His innocent grin became an evil sneer as he beefed up.

"My goodness!" Babidi yelled. "Even after twelve extra years of learning about you, Buu, I didn't expect this kind of transformation!"

Buu chuckled. He slowly strode toward the wizard, still smiling evilly. His new form was taller, leaner, and more massive than the first, and was incredibly strong-looking.

Trunks fought with all his might against the cords that bound him.

Babidi looked at Buu with a new intensity. "I am your master now, Buu!" he shouted. "Your next order is to consume _that_ strong warrior as well!" He pointed to Trunks.

Buu glanced at Trunks, but continued approaching Babidi.

"Buu," Babidi said. "Do what your master tells you and _kill Trunks_!!!"

Buu was upon him now, leering down at him.

"Buu?"

With another step, Babidi was roadkill, flattened by the very creation he had worked so hard for.

Trunks broke free and instinctively dove toward Leena. Buu was faster, however, and was on the girl in a flash. He jumped up and down on her body, squashing it as Trunks watched, still approaching.

"_NOOOOO_!!!" Trunks screamed. He pummeled fist-first into Buu's back. Buu grinned evilly as he brushed Trunks aside like a mosquito. Trunks was thrown aside like a rag doll, falling unconscious before he hit the ground.

DRAGONBALL

musical interlude

Yeah! Wait another minute. Can't you see what this pain has f*cking done to me? I'm alive and still kicking. What you see I can't see, and maybe you'll think before you speak. I'm alive. For you, I'm awake. Because of you, I'm alive. Told you I'm awake… swallowing you. Take another second. Turn your back on me and make believe that you're always happy. It's safe to say your never alive. A big part of you has died, and by the way, I hope your satisfied. I'm alive. For you, I'm awake. Because of you, I'm alive. Told you I'm awake. Swallowing you, I'm alive. For you, I'm awake. Because of you, I'm alive. Told you I'm awake… swallowing you. Go! Turning back, unveiling me, taking a step back so I can breathe, hear the silence about to break, fear resistance when I'm awake. Turning back, unveiling me, taking a step back so I can breathe, hear the silence about to break, fear resistance when I'm awake. I'm alive. For you, I'm awake. Because of you, I'm alive. Told you I'm awake. Swallowing you, I'm alive. For you, I'm awake. Because of you, I'm alive. Told you I'm awake… swallowing you.

"Awake" by Godsmack

DRAGONBALL

"Wake up," came a voice.

_Where am I?_ Trunks was thinking. _Am I dead? Is this what Hell is like for failures?_

"If you are Trunks, then I need to speak with you," the voice said. "Wake up!"

Trunks sat up. Everything around him was hazy. He extended his hand and felt another grab it.

"Good," the voice said. "I am glad to see you moving."

Trunks felt his body being lifted off of the ground. He tried to speak but couldn't. He touched his face with what must have been a broken hand. All he could feel was blood. That's why he couldn't see – the blood had even stained his eyes, which were also nearly swollen shut. His new companion lifted them into the air and flew away quietly. Trunks passed out once more.

DRAGONBALL

"He should be ready to fight again when he wakes up," someone was saying. "I am very glad that you have healing powers. Without them, Trunks might have died."

"Popo?" Trunks breathed. He coughed, feeling some blood leave his lungs. He hacked up what he could and sat up straight. He wiped his face with a nearby towel.

Popo entered the small room where Trunks had been placed on a bed. "We were going to wash you off before you awoke," he said. "Would you like to shower now? I have a clean change of clothing ready for you."

"That wasn't you that brought me here," Trunks said. "Who was it?"

"My name is Dende," came a voice. A Namekian poked his head in through the door. "I was the one who brought you here."

Trunks stood up. "Dende?!?" he shouted. "Then you have come with the DragonBalls? Can you explain to me their limits so I can wish for this all to end?"

Dende frowned. "I'm sorry," he said. "When I made my DragonBalls I made it a point not to overdo their powers. You can revive any number of people on them, but you cannot change the past. You cannot undo what Buu has become."

Trunks slammed his fist into the wall. He frowned, eyes shut in thought. "Then I will wish back the Supreme Kai, my father, Gohan, Goku, Kami, and Piccolo first, then all the others when we have dealt with Buu," he said. "How long is the waiting period for your Dragon?" he asked, turning to Dende.

"One hundred days," Dende said. "But you cannot do what you just said!"

Trunks looked at Dende. "What do you mean 'cannot'?"

Dende frowned, as if he had made a mistake. "When I created my DragonBalls, I did it with the fear that they would be used for evil. Certain wishes cannot be granted, such as immortality, the destruction of a planet, a change in the progression of the past, and wishing back all of your own friends with one wish. I thought that an evil warrior might use the DragonBalls to resurrect an army, so I created it with a failsafe. You can only bring back one of your friends or loved ones with each wish. There are two wishes allowed, but only one of them can be used on revival."

"I have to pick _one_?!?" Trunks shouted. "That's kinda dumb, Dende! Can't you change that for me?"

Dende lowered his face again. "It would take too long," he said. "You should make your two wishes now before I change the wishing rules."

Trunks put his forehead in his hands. "I hafta pick one of them…" he said, "but _who_?"

"Do you really want to resurrect someone?" Dende asked. "Nail and King Kai made it seem like you were a great deal stronger than your friends. Don't you just think they'd get killed again, or worse, absorbed by that Buu creature out there?"

Trunks sat down on the bed, rubbing his eyes. "There has to be a way," he said. "If only I could be stronger." He laid down and started thinking.

"Would you like something to eat?" Popo asked. "Maybe a visit to the Hyperbolic Chamber?"

Trunks stood up. "The Hyperbolic Chamber!" he said. "That's perfect! I could just… wait… no, that still wouldn't make me strong enough! I need something better…" A light bulb burned in his brain. "Can the Dragon give me a fighting energy superior to Buu's?" he asked Dende.

Dende lowered his face to the ground a third time. "No," he said.

Trunks's eyes widened. "I know what to do!" he said. "Where are the DragonBalls?"

"Out here on the Lookout," Dende said, leaving the small room. "They're ready for you to summon my Dragon."

Trunks sprinted outside. "What do I say?" he asked.

"'Eternal Dragon, come out and grant my wish'," Dende whispered into Trunks's ear. "Say it loudly."

"Eternal Dragon," Trunks shouted, "come out and grant my wish!"

The balls began glowing, the sky grew dark, a yellow bolt of lightning came up from the DragonBalls. A small green dragon with red glaring eyes looked at them. It very much resembled Shenlong, but was much shorter in length and smaller in general body size. Stretched out, it was maybe thirty feet long.

Trunks was bewildered. "_This_ is your dragon?" he asked. "He's so much smaller than Shenlong!"

Dende smiled. "Hey, bigger doesn't always mean better," he said.

"What is your wish?" the Dragon bellowed in a voice not unlike that of Shenlong or Porunga.

"First of all," Trunks said, "if I ask you a question and you answer it, does that count as a wish?"

The Dragon answered. "No," it replied.

Trunks smiled. "I'm glad you said that," he said, "because if you had said 'yes' that'd be one wish right there, now wouldn't it?"

"Yes it would," the Dragon responded.

"What's your name?" Trunks asked.

"Linchang," the Dragon responded.

"Why is the grass green?" Trunks asked.

"The molecular composition of chlorophyll reflects green lightwaves," Linchang responded.

"Who killed the Androids?"

"You did."

"Why does my back hurt sometimes when I wake up?"

"You sleep on your side with one leg on top of the other, and that pulls on the muscles of your lower back."

"Which came first, the chicken or the egg?"

"The creature that has evolved into the chicken has been laying eggs since it was a creature that could not be called a 'chicken' by definition."

"If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, how many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick?"

"One peck is equal to two gallons. That either means that Peter picked enough peppers to fill a two-gallon basket or enough to fill two one-gallon jars with the peppers after they had been pureed."

"If I said you had a sexy body, would you hold it against me?"

"No."

"Is there a SuperSaiyan form past that which I have reached?"

"Yes."

"In that case, my first wish is to be able to advance to the next SuperSaiyan level at its maximum potential, whenever I deem it necessary."

"Your wish is granted," Linchang said.

There was a pause.

"It's done?" Trunks asked. "Just like that?"

"Yes," Linchang responded.

"I would like to wait until Buu is slain before making my next wish," Trunks said.

"As you wish," Linchang responded. With a flash, he disappeared, leaving only the DragonBalls behind.

Trunks smiled. "I'm feeling good enough to kick Buu's rear end," he said.

There was a great rumbling noise that shook the entire Lookout.

"What was that?" Dende cried out in alarm after it finished.

"Not Buu?" Popo cried, running to the edge of the Lookout.

"No," Trunks said. "My stomach. You guys said you had some food?"

DRAGONBALL

Two halves of Buu's egg lay separate in a field of upturned earth. Nearby, a bloodied body of a beautiful young woman lay, broken and torn. The wizard Babidi lay nearby as well, in a similar state. The winds whipped around their bodies. The egg's shell rocked slightly in the breeze. In the distance, a raven cried out, flying swiftly from a burning village.

Trunks landed on the ground near Leena's body and lifted her up. She was mangled beyond identification, but Trunks didn't care. She was the one he loved. He knew that when it came time to wish back one of his friends, it would be her. Bulma too was now dead and buried – East City was Buu's very first target.

Trunks wiped Leena's blood-matted hair away from her beautiful eyes. He kissed her scarred and bloody face and walked away with her in his arms.

DRAGONBALL

musical interlude

It starts with one thing. I don't know why. It doesn't even matter how hard you try. Keep that In mind. I designed this rhyme to explain in due time all I know. Time is a valuable thing. Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings. Watch it count down to the end of the day. The clock ticks life away. It's so unreal. I didn't look out below. Watch the time go right out the window. Trying to hold on, but didn't even know. I wasted it all just to watch you go. I kept everything inside, and even though I tried, it all fell apart. What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time when I tried so hard and got so far, but in the end, it doesn't even matter. I had to fall to lose it all, but in the end, it doesn't even matter.

One thing – I don't know why it doesn't even matter how hard you try. Keep that in mind. I designed this rhyme to remind myself how I tried so hard in spite of the way you were mocking me, acting like I was part of your property, remembering all the times you fought with me. I'm surprised it got so far. Things aren't the way they were before. You wouldn't even recognize me anymore. Not that you knew me back then, but it all comes back to me in the end. You kept everything inside and, even though I tried, it all fell apart. What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time when I tried so hard and got so far, but in the end, it doesn't even matter. I had to fall to lose it all, but in the end, it doesn't even matter.

I put my trust in you, pushed as far as I can go, and for all this, there's only one thing you should know. I've put my trust in you, pushed as far as I can go, and for all this, there's only one thing you should know. I tried so hard and got so far, but in the end, it doesn't even matter. I had to fall to lose it all, but in the end, it doesn't even matter.

"In the End" by Linkin Park written/sung by Chester Bennington and Michael Shinoda

DRAGONBALL

Buu was having fun making women and children plead for their lives as they cried out in pain. You see, Buu isn't like Babidi at all. He could care less about the destruction of globes and universal takeover. All he really wanted was to watch people suffer. It was like a game to him, to guess how long each person could endure his torture. He now held a small child in his hands, and was slowly stabbing it in the abdomen, hearing its cries of pain.

Something tapped on his shoulder. He turned… straight into a punch. As he began to move away, the child fell from his arms, but was caught before it hit the ground, still wailing.

Buu landed face-first in the ruins of an old stone building that he had just toppled. He stood up instantly, but to his surprise, there was no one around, not even the babe that he had just held. He grunted and stepped back into the street where he had just stood. He looked around, squinting. There was another tap on his shoulder. He turned once more and was sent flying into a broken building once more.

There was laughing behind him now. He stood and spun around, nursing his jaw. No one was there. He was rather peeved at this point.

"Mah… Sen…" came a shout from above. Buu looked up, but there was no one there. "_KO_!!!" came the scream from behind him now. With his guard completely down, he was completely vulnerable to the full-force attack from the third level SuperSaiyan. He was thrown into the rubble a third time as he felt the flesh on his back being singed. He cried out in alarm, but the blow was far from fatal. He stood and finally faced his opponent. He squinted, not recognizing Trunks at first.

Trunks had taken on a completely new form. His muscles were as large as ever or larger. His hair was as pale as ever, if not paler, and it was now flowing behind him, nearly five feet in length. His eyebrows were gone, the bridge of his forehead jutted outward somewhat, resembling a Neanderthal. The yellow radiant energy and electric currents were all around him now, pulsing more powerfully than ever. His green eyes were pale and glared with a semi-demonic pleasure.

He smiled at Buu.

Buu charged him, landing a blow directly into his gut.

Trunks staggered backwards. _He's still stronger than me_, he realized. _What more can I do?_ He looked at Buu as the creature charged him once more.

Buu punched… through the air in which Trunks was just standing.

DRAGONBALL

"I need _every_ idea, guys!" Trunks said to Dende, Roshi, and Popo. He was powered down again. "I'm running out of options!"

"There is your capsule training," Roshi suggested.

"Senzu beans," Popo said. "The Hyperbolic Chamber. The Pendulum Room."

Dende stepped forward. "I could try to bring out your hidden powers," he said. "Guru told me I could do it when the time came."

"Weighted clothing," Roshi said. "That could turn your thousand Gs into many more thousands."

"King Yamma's fruit," Popo said.

Trunks smiled. "That's what I'm talking about, guys!" he said. "Thanks!"

He disappeared.

"Sometimes I wonder about that kid," Roshi said.

DRAGONBALL

Trunks appeared in Korin's greenhouse on Korin Tower. He filled a small bag with senzu beans, then disappeared again.

DRAGONBALL

Trunks appeared in Hell, under King Yamma's tree. He plucked an armful of fruit from the tree, then disappeared again.

DRAGONBALL

Trunks appeared at his home, which was partially destroyed. He pressed the button outside of his training room and it turned into a capsule, which he pocketed. He then ran inside. Bulma had made a replica of the suit he brought back from the alternate reality. It was weighted. He put the fruit, the beans, the capsule, and the suit into a duffel bag, and disappeared again.

DRAGONBALL

He appeared on the Lookout once more, in the same place he had stood a moment before.

"That was pretty quick!" Roshi said.

"Dende," Trunks said, ignoring Roshi, "can you bring forward my powers like you mentioned before?"

"I can try," Dende said. "Sit down."

Trunks sat where he stood, setting the bag down beside him.

Dende placed one hand in Trunks's lavender hair. Trunks felt the energy within him tingle some. Then, it was like a floodgate of energy opened. The small amount of power which he had complete power over had just miraculously grown. It was as if a well of energy inside of him was filling after a drought.

He pulled out a piece of Yamma's fruit and devoured it. Now the seemingly endless well of energy and power became more accessible, and easier and quicker to use.

He stood up. "I must be _twice_ as strong as just a few minutes ago!" he said. "This is incredible!"

"You are ready to face Buu now, then?" Dende asked.

Trunks pulled the capsule out of his pack and tossed it up in the air. "Not yet," he said. "I want to be certain of my powers this time. I know my way to the Hyperbolic Chamber, so I will just go there now."

He was gone again.

DRAGONBALL

It had been nearly twenty-four hours since Trunks had entered the Hyperbolic Chamber. Roshi, Popo, and Dende had spent the time sitting silently and waiting, not saying a word. The silence was broken.

"Hasn't it been twenty-four hours yet?" Roshi asked. "It feels like –" He went flying forward with an incredible blow to the head.

Dende and Popo stood. They were face-to-face with Buu himself. Roshi lay lifeless against a wall. Buu grabbed Dende by the head and threw him against the same wall. Dende landed on top of Roshi, unmoving. Popo didn't have time to move, as he was quickly thrown into the wall as well.

Buu paced toward them, smiling like a two-year old Saiyan who had just found his first animal to torture.

"Stop right there!" came a shout. Trunks stepped forward, glowing with energy, casting his training gear aside. He powered up, quickly passing through all of the SuperSaiyan phases to the fully-powered third level.

Buu bared his teeth in anger. He now recognized Trunks to be the man that had burned his back. He pounced on the SuperSaiyan, but was struck in the gut before he saw Trunks moving. Trunks was now under him, his fist digging deep into Buu's abdomen.

Buu flew away, injured. Trunks followed and quickly surpassed his prey, stopping him in his path. Buu panicked an turned around, only to find that Trunks moved there as well. In fact, it seemed that Trunks was everywhere Buu turned, not letting the Majin warrior move from the one spot.

Trunks extended his hands out in front of him, moving around in a sphere in front of Buu. "Kah…" he started. "Me… Ha… Me…" He winked at Buu. "_HAAAAAAAAAA_!!!" His scream seemed to echo everywhere as the blast shot upward at Buu, incinerating him very quickly.

As the smoke cleared, one thing was evident. Our hero had won yet again.

All that was left of Buu was the ash floating through the air.

DRAGONBALL

Trunks landed on the Lookout and ran to his friends' sides. Roshi and Popo stood now, trying to get Dende to swallow a senzu bean. Dende was still yet alive, but couldn't swallow and wasn't responding to the others.

Trunks was frantic, but he knew just what to do. He ran to the DragonBalls and yelled: "Eternal Dragon, come out and grant my final wish!"

With a flash, Linchang was out once again, the sky having turned black once more.

"What do you wish?" Linchang asked.

"I wish for the revival of all of the kind and innocent creatures killed by the Androids, Cell, Babidi's men, and Buu in the past twenty years," Trunks shouted, "and I wish for that to include Kami and Piccolo!"

"This wish cannot be granted," Linchang replied. "Kami and Piccolo are two individuals. They cannot both be brought back. However, they cannot be brought back individually either, as they have a life-link."

Trunks frowned. "Grr! What do I do?" he said quietly to himself. "If only they were a single person again, like in the other timeline, but that would get rid of the DragonBalls!"

Linchang blinked in and out of existence. Dende was dying.

"Trunks," Roshi said. "Heal Dende and make the revival wish later!"

Trunks's eyes grew wide. "Of course!" he shouted. "Eternal Dragon, my wish is to completely restore Dende's health!"

"Your wish is granted," Linchang said, and blinked out of existence without returning. The DragonBalls had turned to stone.

"No," Trunks wailed. "I wasn't fast enough! Dende is dead and now we've gotta go to Namek to revive him!"

"At least there is another way," Roshi said. "As long as Maury lives, there is hope for us!"

"Oh dear," Popo said. "That is not good news."

Trunks turned to Popo. "What?" he asked. "What's wrong, Mister Popo?"

Popo frowned. "Dende told me that Maury was killed by a natural disaster just before he left Namek," he said.

Trunks couldn't believe it. All of his loved ones… would never live again. Bulma, Vegeta, Gohan, the Supreme Kai, Dende… Leena… they were all dead and gone forever. Angered, he grabbed one of Dende's dodgeball-sized DragonBalls and hurled it as far as he could. He reached for another and threw it in a different direction. He threw a third, a fourth, a fifth, a sixth…

He picked up the final DragonBall and an amazing thing happened. It began to _throw itself_. Trunks felt his body lift off of the ground as the Ball pulled him away from the Lookout. He was flying faster now than he ever had before. The DragonBall carried him halfway around the Earth, then stopped in midair.

_What on Earth?_ Trunks thought to himself. _Who is doing this?_

The Ball began to be pulled toward the Earth slightly, but Trunks realized that it was just gravity, so he stopped it and held it in his hands. He looked at it, perfectly round, four stars etched into one side.

He instant transmitted away from where he was, back to the Tenkai.

He looked at Roshi.

He looked at Popo.

He looked at Dende.

Dende stood up.

DRAGONBALL

Trunks stood in a field. Several tens of meters behind him stood Roshi, Popo, and Dende. In front of him lay the shiny, orange Dragonballs, pulsing with energy.

"Linchang," he said to the Dragon hovering in front of him, "I wish for the revival of all those kindhearted and innocent beings unjustly slain by Android Seventeen, Android Eighteen, Cell, Babidi, Pui Pui, Yakon, Dabura, Brolly, Slug, Bojack, Cooler, Buu, and all other evil powers the Earth has faced in the past twenty years."

It was one hundred days after Buu's death. Dende, who needed more than one hundred days to change the wishing rules, suggested that they revive as many people as possible before he tried. Trunks, Roshi, Popo, and Dende then gathered the DragonBalls so that Trunks might make the wish. Linchang looked down at the figure of the young hero.

"And which of your friends do you wish to have return?" he asked.

Trunks smiled. He knew exactly who to revive.

DRAGONBALL

_Okay I know theres a couple things I've gotta explain. First of all, I know that some of the movie bad guys were supposed to show up before Babidi, according to the relative ages of the younger characters in those movies. I was thinking, though, and I figured… the movies didn't fit in with the regular timeline anyway. People all over the Internet completely ignore the events of most of the movies when compiling "Battles", "Timeline", "Summary", etc. sections of their Web sites. So I came to the decision that (1) These characters could exist in the real timeline, but (2) Their stories don't fit, so (3) I'll write them new stories that DO fit. That's why Slug and Cooler show up, even though Trunks wasn't even alive in their movies. These characters were not part of the TRUE DragonBall timeline, so I feel that my using them as I see fit should not be a problem. Plus, this is DragonBall we're talking about! Nothing hasta make sense! (no offense)_

Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed reading the story just as much as I enjoyed writing it. Check out my Outlaw Star fic entitled "The Legend of Mana" if you really like my writing. Please read and review (only if you have nice things to say, heh). And I'll see you around! Hopefully, I'll have some more DragonBall fic on the way!

L8R


End file.
